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Completely hand-crafted in 18th century Spain, this sculpture of the Virgin stands 1.5 meters / 5 feet tall and was most certainly created for devotional purposes, to be displayed in a church or chapel. Besides its impressive size this sculpture is an excellent, museum-quality example of the Spanish “Estofado” polychrome technique, developed during the Gothic period to imitate rich brocade fabrics. The finely carved “fabric” areas of the sculpture would be first covered in gesso, and then a layer of gold leaf would be applied. The gold leaf would then be painted over with various colors of tempera paints. Once dry, the painted surface would be incised or scratched away in patterns, revealing the gold beneath. The sculpture was professionally restored in 2022 by a firm that is often hired by the Spanish government to work on historic building interiors and museum pieces. The virgin was carefully cleaned, repaired and its condition stabilized. A complete and fully-illustrated restoration report will be included with purchase. Often confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, the belief that the Blessed Virgin Mary herself was conceived “immaculately” without original sin has been variously defended and debated within the Catholic Church since the pre-Middle Ages. For centuries, artists struggled to create an acceptable visual representation of this highly abstract concept, in part taking inspiration from the Book of Revelation and other scriptural sources. We see the Virgin standing on a half moon (biblically inspired, though also an ancient symbol of chastity) with her long natural hair loose down her back, another indication of purity. Both her white tunic and flowing blue mantle...

This 19th century French Louis XV style commode has beautifully detailed multi-wood inlay marquetry, including a large floral design on the top, which is of note, as much of the comm...

The bronze figure is 19th century, made by sculptor Agapito Vallmitjana (1833-1905) who was active in Barcelona, along with his brother Venancio, who was also a sculptor. They were both successful and well-known in their time, and their works are in public places and various collections in Spain, including a beautiful life-size marble Christ...

A matched set of four Queen Anne style side chairs, with urn-shaped pierced back splats. The wood furniture has great character - well constructed and solid, with a rustic handmade q...

A more or less matched set of four rustic country style side chairs following popular design traditions of the province of Navarra, Basque Country in northern Spain. Forceful and str...

This lamp is a fine example of the unmistakable Murano style, which mixes the classic chandelier structure of a central axis made up of stacked hand-blown balusters and spindles, wit...

Acquired from an important estate some years ago in Madrid, this grand scale (6.4 x 2 meters / 21 x 6.5 feet) neoclassical runner carpet once furnished the hallway or stairway of a n...

This beautifully proportioned "en chapeaux de gendarme" or "gendarme's hat" style French provincial armoire brings together form and function in dramatic fashion. At almost 2.5 meter...

This handsome Carlos IV style "secretaire-abattant" or drop front desk combines functionality with ample storage space. Top, front and sides feature detailed marquetry inlay in geome...

A charming pair of Victorian style dining (or boardroom) chairs, upholstered in a milk chocolate brown leather with decorative nail head trim and nicely carved detailing in the chair...

These 19th century French bronze wall sconces or appliqués display a variety of the neoclassical elements found in the Louis XVI style. The central vertical of the sconces seems to m...

The origin of Sargadelos Ceramics goes back to the early 19th century in Spain's northern province of Galicia. Industrialist Antonio Raimundo Ibáñez had already established a thriving metalworks foundry in the rural Santiago de Sargadelos parish, when in 1806 he expanded his business into chinaware manufacturing when conflicts with Great Britain ceased the importation of the popular, bright white “Bristol...